Every term we are promised that electricity will be placed on the north side of the island as well as other parts where residential areas are being built. Residents who build where there is no connectivity to electricity have to create their own form of electricity therefore resulting in more expenses.

BEL claims to lose money on Caye Caulker because they donít make enough from the customers to subsidize the cost of the plant. Should the Government of Belize intervene? Some residents think that if the Government would intervene and help the islanders expand the island, it will definitely make a difference with the progress of the island. We have to accept the fact that more tourists are coming to Caye Caulker and if these issues donít get attended to, we will remain ďstuckĒ and the island will never expand for the betterment of everyone as tourism is what we depend on.

A resident who lives at the South Point near the airstrip was hoping to get neighbors to get power to their residential area but BEL had given them a quote of $401,000.00 Belize Dollars for lines to run along the airstrip. If quotations are given at this rate, the island will never develop. Isnít this the job of the Village Council to push this issue to the Government especially to the Area Representative, for electricity to be placed in areas where it is needed? Yes they might have transferred underwater cables to the other side but is that it?? A plan needs to be done and push this issue so that it can be done and get the progress of the island moving instead of the topic being conversed and publicized around election time, sitting and waiting for something to start.

Would the Government of Belize allow for a private solar company to come in and fulfill the power needs on this island? Would they give such access to such company to dig the roads and lay wires and other necessary things to have this up and running? There are many possibilities to get power to where it is needed.

It is necessary to ease the congestion of the 1 mile town center which is quickly becoming commercialized, forcing people to move to the outskirts of the village or on the north side where there is no power. The Government of Belize had allocated lots some 10 years ago but since there is no power they are still hesitant in moving because of the hardships they would endure because of no electricity .

For once letís leave politics aside and get together as an island and work for what needs to be done for our island to be what we want it to be.

The cable laid under the Split to the north was paid for by a resort that was planned on North Island. Costs went out of control under the miserable management BEL had before GOB took over again so the project was stopped.The people in the South would be happy to pay a $3000 hookup fee when they connect.There are nearly 200 homeowners in the South and the electricity is already down the airstrip and only two hundred feet from the customers there, but BEL refuses. Charman Villanueva also refuses to help in any way.He won't even make a phone call to express his villagers problem.Nothing.Nothing.

Some light on that horizon.The Developer/Owner of Seaside Cabanas, also Cayedreamsrealestate.com cut a deal with BEL to extend the electric about 1,500 feet further down the trail to the south tip. There is a relatively recently filled 5 acres subdivision, lots for sale there.This will give a few existing homeowners access, and make it that much less to extend.Should be in in about 3 months from now, I've already seen the BEL crew surveying it.Good opportunity for anyone wanting to buy on the east/reef side and be on the grid.

The problem extends beyond the electricity.The areas marked by Marty also get no water, road maintenance,trash cleanup or police patrols because of the roads,Their tax money is collected and spent on the area of the village in which the Chairman lives. He arranged it so the South pays almost double the taxes paid in the main village. The total amount spent on these areas, north and south in all of Caye Caulker history is zero.Years ago Chairman Marin came to the folks who lived outside the village to ask if we would like to join the village and begin paying taxes to the village instead of in Belmopan. He said we would get that list of things noted above.We agreed to try it to see if those benefits were worth it, then have a referendum on joining tne village.He left office shortly after and Chairman Beto took over. He raised the taxes in the south by 600% and instructed the Village Council workers to halt any work that might benefit those taxpayers.The referendum was cancelled and we were added to the village against our consent.Despite these broken promises we made a deal last year that half of the tax money collected in tne south would benefit the taxpayers there.Same double cross by Chairman Beto.He has proven consistent in his treatment of these people, north and south.

As I understand it, there have been electrical blackouts in the past month or so. Extending the gird to include more customers doesn't address the problem of not enough power being generated to begin with.

In the past we had brown outs when there was not enough power, followed by blackouts at sunset when everyone turned on lights,fans and stoves.The anytime sudden blackouts were often diesel engine problems without adequate back ups.These problems decreased a lot, as Debbie noted, since we have had a big increase in usage.They moved more modern low milage generators from San Pedro to sell more power. As usage grows the capacity and modernity grows and power delivery improves.